Hey, Texplainer: What constitutional amendments will be on the November ballot?
Here's a look at the seven constitutional amendments on the statewide ballot for the November 7 election. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Emails show Abbott’s vetoes ruffled feathers at the Capitol
The emails reveal how the governor's vetoes caught some state lawmakers by surprise, while his staff has let evangelical Christian leaders know about vetoes of bills they opposed. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott lays out items for a special session at a press conference on June 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
What the Texas Supreme Court decided — and didn't — in its 2017 term
After 10 months and 81 decisions, the Texas Supreme Court wrapped up its 2017 term on Friday. Here's a look back at what the nine justices decided — and didn't. Full Story
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School boards, cities sought to stop Gov. Abbott from signing drone bill
Organizations representing hundreds of Texas cities and school boards unsuccessfully urged Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a bill aimed at restricting drone use around the state. Full Story
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![Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi engineering student Adam Ersepke and lab coordinator Jack Edward Esparza prepare for the take off of the University’s RS-16 unmanned aerial vehicle, otherwise known as a drone, for a test flight over the Kennedy Ranch near Sarita, Texas on January 18, 2013.]()
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Texas liquor agency rebuked after investigation of Spec's
After a three-year probe, state liquor regulators asked an administrative court to cancel every permit held by Spec's, the state's largest liquor retailer, or fine it more than $700 million. Instead, the judges recommended nothing but a warning. Full Story
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![Spec’s Liquor President John Rydman, with wife and owner Lindy Rydman in blue and their daughter Lisa Rydman, granddaughter of the chain's founder, at the flagship store in Houston on June 29, 2017. Spec's got the green light to begin expanding again after an administrative court poured cold water on sanctions sought by state liquor regulators.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Same-sex benefits, teacher pay raises and Dawnna Dukes (podcast)
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about the state Supreme Court's same-sex benefits ruling, Gov. Greg Abbott's plan for teacher pay raises and state Rep. Dawnna Dukes' not-guilty plea in court. Full Story
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Credit: Emily Albracht / Todd Wiseman -
Texans in Congress head home as Trump muddles health care negotiations
Republican members of the Texas congressional delegation began returning home for a Fourth of July recess Friday amid troubled negotiations on a health care overhaul measure that drew the attention of President Trump. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump gathers with congressional Republicans in the Rose Garden of the White House after the U.S. House of Representatives approved the American Healthcare Act, which would repeal major parts of Obamacare, in Washington, D.C., on May 4, 2017.]()
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State Rep. Dukes pleads not guilty to abuse-of-office charges
The 12-term state representative, an Austin Democrat, entered not guilty pleas to tampering with a governmental record and abuse of official capacity by a public servant. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, appeared in the Travis County Courthouse on June 30, 2017. In the yellow tie is attorney Matt Shrum.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court rejects Tea Party challenge to campaign finance laws
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday upheld the state’s ban on direct corporate campaign contributions, denying a challenge from a Tea Party group that called it unconstitutional. Full Story
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Texas Supreme Court throws out ruling that favored same-sex marriage benefits
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday threw out a lower court ruling that said spouses of gay and lesbian public employees are entitled to government-subsidized same-sex marriage benefits. Full Story
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![Couples embrace at the conclusion of the "Big Gay Wedding" ceremony on the south lawn of the Texas Capitol on July 4 after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in June.]()
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The Brief: Paxton leads charge to end 2012 immigration program
Fully end an Obama-era immigration program or we'll see you in court, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told the Trump administration Thursday, announcing Texas would lead a 10-state charge to terminate a policy that has allowed nearly 200,000 undocumented immigrants to live and work in the state. Full Story
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Trump slow to fill judicial seats in Texas (video)
All four U.S. attorney seats, 11 district judgeships and two slots on the historically conservative U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sit open. Full Story
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Hey, Texplainer: What did the Texas Legislature do to improve Child Protective Services?
During the five-month session, lawmakers expressed determination to change how abused and neglected children are cared for. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs several bills reforming Child Protective Services in a ceremony with state legislators at the Department of Family and Protective Services headquarters on May 31, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The political play behind Gov. Abbott’s call for $1,000 teacher pay raises
Gov. Greg Abbott's special session agenda will include a call for a $1,000 pay raise for teachers. But he's not offering state money to pay for it — and he's not necessarily talking about giving every public school teacher a $1,000 check, either. Full Story
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Trial date still uncertain as new judge holds first hearing in Paxton case
The securities fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton kicked off Thursday in Harris County with no new trial date being set. Paxton has had two previous trial dates scrapped due to legal disputes. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton entered a federal courthouse in Sherman on Sept. 2, 2016. Paxton's lawyers argued in a hearing that the federal civil fraud case against him should be dismissed.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill for The Texas Tribune -
Trump taps Kay Bailey Hutchison to serve as NATO ambassador
President Trump has nominated former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to be the nation's new NATO ambassador. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison at keynote panel on politics Sept. 20, 2014 at TribFest.]()
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Texas leads 10 states in urging Trump to end Obama-era immigration program
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and officials from nine other states on Thursday urged the Trump administration to end a program that’s allowed hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants to work in the country without fear of being deported. Full Story
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![Tomas Martinez, with GLAHR, a grass roots organization from Atlanta, chants to excite the crowd in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Monday, April 18, 2016.]()
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Attorneys argue over proper venue for sanctuary city lawsuit
For the second time this week, the Texas attorney general's office sparred in federal court with opponents of the state's new immigration-enforcement law, Senate Bill 4. Both sides got an earful from federal Judge Sam Sparks. Full Story
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![Protesters opposed to Senate Bill 4, known as the "sanctuary cities" law, turn out in force for the last day of the legislative session on May 29, 2017.]()
Credit: Erika Rich for The Texas Tribune -
Ted Cruz proposes amendment with aim to salvage Senate health care plan
As Senate Republicans rush to salvage a health care overhaul, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is proposing an amendment aimed at striking a balance between conservative and more moderate GOP senators opposed to the latest version. Full Story
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![Speaking to reporters after President Donald Trump's address to Congress on Feb. 28, 2017, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz reiterated his desire to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, saying that Americans were suffering from high insurance premiums.]()
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The Texas solar industry is growing. Some fear an international trade case could end that.
Cheap, imported solar panels have fueled growth in the solar industry in Texas, and reinvigorated the careers of laid-off oilfield workers. Some industry leaders fear a trade case will increase prices and end that growth. Full Story
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Credit: Mike Baker
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